


Winter Silence

by peculiarmars



Series: Winter's Wizard [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Auror Harry Potter, Brainwashing, Canon-Typical Violence, Forced Obliviation, Multi, Non-Consensual Body Modification, Past Character Death, Post-Deathly Hallows, Torture, Winter Soldier AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-29
Updated: 2017-08-25
Packaged: 2018-12-06 12:24:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11600586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peculiarmars/pseuds/peculiarmars
Summary: Ten years after the war, Harry Potter finds he must become The Boy Who Lived once more when a mysterious masked assassin named the Winter Wizard and an unknown terrorist organisation begin wreaking havoc on everything he tried so hard so save.





	1. Only A Ghost

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is already prewritten, and I will be posting as I edit chapters.
> 
> This is a rewrite of 'Winter's Wizard' as I simply was not happy with it and wanted to write a better Winter Soldier AU.
> 
> Comments and Kudos are greatly appreciated.

_WhereamIwhereamIwhoisherewhowhowho who am I who am I?_

_"Ha-rry?" He croaked, voice harsh from the dryness of his throat. Someone said something above him, too blurry to make out._

 

_"Put him back under."_

 

_His world descended into pain once more._

* * *

 

 

Ten years. May 2nd, 2008. He had certainly come a long way since then.

 

Harry raised his glass, ensuring a silence from the crowd.

 

"I haven't been at one of these since 1999," He began. "but as it is ten years since the fall of Voldemort, it only seems fitting to finally except the invitation.

 

We all lost people in the war. Nobody was unaffected. We all suffered to some degree. But now, a decade on, I think we've done a pretty fine job of putting ourselves back together."

 

Harry raised his higher in a toast,

 

"To a world of light, and to those we lost."

 

He had deliberately kept his speech short and sweet, never enjoying the attention he got from any type of Ministry function he was forced to attend. This one especially, being the anniversary of his victory.

 

He made a steady conversation with Ron and Hermione as they ate, and helped a very bored Rose Granger-Weasley finish her meal. Rose hated these things as much as he did. Usually Rose would stay at one of her uncle's or aunt's or grandparent's houses, but as all the Weasley's were at the function that wasn't an option.

 

Rose made a disgusted face as Ron and Hermione shared a kiss.

 

"No!" She said, dropping her fork with a clatter, "G-r-oss!"

 

Harry snickered. "Yeah, gross."

 

"Stop it Harry, you'll only encourage her," Hermione laughed. Ron stuck his tongue out at Rose.

 

"Why you 'ave to do icky stuff 'eywhere?" She said. "Uncle Harry don't."

 

Ron placed a hand on Rose's arm. "You'll understand when you're older."

 

Rose shoved a piece of carrot in her mouth. "I hope I don't." Ron turned to Harry.

 

"So, how are you?" He asked. Harry rolled his eyes.

 

"I literally saw you yesterday."

 

"Yeah, but still. Polite conversations are the -"

 

He was cut off by a small but blinding corpreal Patronus in the shape of a bat bursting through the doors, lighting up the room.

 

"Minister! Emergency! Albus Percival Wufric Brian Dumbledore's tomb has been broken into! Need Aurors now!" Then the bat vanished into a puff of smoke.

 

For a second the room was quiet enough to hear a pin drop, and then it quickly exploded into a flurry of voices as the people attending talked in hushed whispers about who would break into Dumbledore's tomb on the anniversary of the war. Who would have the nerve.

 

Minister Kingsley Shaklebolt stood and cast a sonarus, speaking through his wand.

 

"Aurors Adrian Pucey, Ernie Macmillan, Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley. Curse Breaker Blaise Zabini and Law expert Hermione Granger! Report to the foyer immediately!"

 

"Mum!" Ron called as he lifted Rose from her seat. "Can you watch her?"

 

Molly Weasley tenderly took the toddler from her youngest son's arms. "You don't have to ask. Be safe, Ron. You too Harry, Hermione." She couldn't keep the worry from her voice.

 

"We will, mum." Ron said as kissed her cheek. He linked arms with Hermione and the three of them quickly made their to the foyer, where Adrian, Ernie and Blaise were already waiting.

 

Harry worked with Adrian and Ernie quite a bit since school, though he was ranked slightly higher than both. Neither of them seemed to mind, and he had formed a strong friendship with Adrian Pucey and his wife, a former Ravenclaw named Penelope Clearwater. Percy Weasley had dated her for a little while whilst he had still been at school.

 

Blaise Zabini, however, was a former Slytherin who he had not befriended after the war. In fact Harry had hardly seen him. Bill Weasley had mentioned that the Italian had had an apprenticeship under him, yet that was all he had heard.

 

Kingsley ordered them into a circle, taking out a clothed object from his robe pocket. A portkey, Harry realised after a moment. Kingsley activated it, and Harry found himself experiencing the sickening feeling of being flung through the air at a million miles an hour before they landed with a thud, all but Kingsley collapsing in an undignified heap.

 

"Why on earth was that so bumby?" Ernie muttered as he pulled himself up.

 

"The amount of wards makes it difficult to Apparate or portkey here. Technically, it's always trying to throw you out even if you mean no harm." Hermione explained.

 

It was very dark, was the first thing Harry thought. Dumbledore's tomb was soaked in the silvery light of the moon, casting eery shadows at the forest behind it. A shadowed figure was already standing over the coffin, wand out.

 

"Agent," Kingsley called. The figure turned, and their hood fell away from their face, yet Harry couldn't make out who it was. Kingsley turned to address them. "this is special agent Pansy Parkinson. I expect you all to be civil. That goes for you too, Parkinson."

 

Parkinson mumbled something unintelligible.

 

"Who broke in?" Harry asked her as they neared the tomb. Pansy faced him, her face set in a grim line. She had aged in the years since the war. She had an air of maturity and authority about her. Much different to their school days.

 

"I have absolutely no idea. And I despise not knowing,"

 

"Don't we all, Pans?" Blaise said as he knelt down next to the coffin.

 

There was a hole big enough for someone to fit their arm through in the top part of the coffin.

 

"Is there a hidden curse?" Pansy asked Blaise as he waved his wand over the coffin. A frown tugged at his features.

 

"Not that I can tell, no. But just to be sure, have a couple of you lot check the wards. If there's nothing in the coffin then there might be something in the wards, that you don't need my level of qualification to detect. Off you pop."

 

Kingsley rolled his eyes, but didn't reprimand him as Blaise was the only curse breaker currently in the country who could deal with something like this. "Macmillan, Pucey. Go."

 

Hermione peered into the hole, holding her hand out to Ron. "My mobile is in your jacket pocket, pass it here."

 

Hermione turned the torch on her mobile phone and peered into the hole again. After a few moments she gasped.

 

"The Elder wand!"

 

"What about it?"

 

"It's gone!"

 

"No way," said Ron. "how on earth could someone get pass the wards and steal from Dumbledore's coffin? That's nuts."

 

"Your wife is right, Weasley. The Elder wand has vanished along with its thief." Pansy informed them.

 

"How?" Harry gaped. Excluding Hogwarts, the wards around Dumbledore's coffin were the strongest in Britain.

 

Pansy shrugged.

 

"Did they get through the wards?" Ron queried.

 

"Yes, but the wards aren't broken. Whoever did this slipped through ward after ward, it must've taken them hours. Somebody should of noticed." Pansy added.

 

"But they didn't." Harry murmured as he brushed his hand over the marble top of the coffin. He looked at the hole again. "The hole, it wasn't made with magic, was it?"

 

"Not as far as I can tell."

 

"So somebody slipped through hundreds of wards, went unnoticed for hours, and then punched a hole into Dumbledore's coffin and stole the elder wand without being caught."

 

"I was only alerted when they left. They seemed to get sloppy leaving. I haven't been able to find a magical signature."

 

"I'll look it over at my office, but I really aren't certain that I'll find something. If there's no magical signature than there isn't really anything I could search for. . ." Hermione bit her lip, thinking hard.

 

"Oh, don't worry, Granger. I'll be doing my _own_ research." She looked pointedly at Kingsley, who stared back with a barely concealed glare.

 

"Agent Parkinson, it's a ghost story. Let it die." He said firmly.

 

Pansy rolled her eyes. "Some ghost that is," She muttered angrily.

 

"What are you talking about?" Harry asked, confused by their conversation.

 

"Nothing, Potter. Parkinson simply needs to work through some things and let the _past go_ ,"

 

"Sure, I'll do that. And the next time somebody gets-"

 

"Are you _still_ going on about that?" Blaise asked. In all honesty, he had been so quiet that Harry had forgotten he was still there.

 

"I know what I saw!" Pansy growled, throwing her hands in the air dramatically. "But, fine! You don't want my help on this? Fine." She turned on her heel and stalked off, back through the forest. She had disappeared from sight completely when Harry heard the crack of Apparition.

 

"Listen, Shaklebolt, Rose is still at the party with my mum. We should probably go get her." Ron said. Kingsley nodded.

 

"Bright and early on Monday morning, Weasley."

 

Ron saluted jokingly. "Yes, sir." He and Hermione linked arms and walked into the forest before vanishing with a crack.

 

"Oi, Aurors!" Blaise yelled. "Found anything?"

 

"No, nothing." Adrian shouted.

 

"Me neither!" shouted Ernie.

 

"You can stop scanning them now, if you haven't found anything yet you're not going to."

 

Adrian and Ernie came back together. "Anything on the coffin?" Ernie asked.

 

"Nothing. It wasn't broken into with magic, but with force." Kingsley said.

 

"Force?" repeated Ernie. "How in Hogwarts-"

 

"We have absolutely no idea. Boys, I expect this to stay private. To everyone, even your wives." He warned.

 

"Certainly, sir." Adrian said. "Are needed anymore?"

 

"No, you may go. Both of you. Harry, a word."

 

Both Ernie and Adrian wondered into the woods, leaving Harry alone with Kingsley.

 

"Yes, sir?"

 

Kingsley sighed, rubbing a hand over his eyes. "Just be careful, Harry. Someone has broken through some of the most complex wards in Britain and forced their way in a tomb, unnoticed. I have a feeling that there may be dark times ahead, Harry."

 

Harry furrowed his eyebrows. "Dark times?"

 

"Not like You-Know-Who, but if someone has done this then something is coming. Just be cautious, and keep your friends close, and your enemies under vigorous survalliance."

 

"Constant Vigilance." Harry repeated. He hadn't heard those words said seriously for a decade, and if there was a time to start it would be now.

* * *

 

 

Harry took the muggle way home. He had a motorbike, but that was at the Ministry right now. As much as he liked whizzing around muggle roads, there was something calming about walking leisurely under the night sky.

 

Looking at the stars, he sought out the Draco constellation. The Draco constellation was in the Northern hemisphere and could be seen all year around. Draco, the real Draco, had told him this in Sixth year, up on the Astronomy Tower at Hogwarts.

 

Sixth year was. . . different, to say the least. He and Draco had started their _thing_ \- for they had never put a name to it - on the Astronomy Tower. It had continued for almost an entire year, and Harry always thought it was some sort of bitter irony that it ended the Astonomy Tower as well.

 

Or maybe it had ended when Harry's spell had torn him apart in the bathroom.

 

Harry tried to push thoughts of Draco out of his mind, just as he had been trying to do for ten years, all the time since it had been announced that Draco Malfoy had been a casualty of war, one death out of hundreds.

 

Draco Malfoy was long dead.

 

What was it Kingsley had said? A ghost story. Harry really needed to let it _go_ and move on. It had been ten years, after all.


	2. Muggle or Magic?

Harry was snapped from his breakfast by from the floo lighting up and Ron's face appearing.

 

"Harry, mate, you free?" He seemed flustered. Harry nodded. The flames roared and Hermione and Ron stepped out from his fireplace.

 

"Want any breakfast?" Harry asked as he wandered back to the kitchen to the pan with the sizzling bacon.

 

"Yeah, thanks." Ron's said. Hermione seemed agitated, shifting from foot to foot.

 

"Boys, this is serious." Harry looked up from his bacon at the urgent tone of her voice.

 

"What's going on?"

 

"The Minister has been suspended!" Hermione said in a rush. Harry gawked at her.

 

"Suspended?" He repeated dumbly. Hermione nodded.

 

"I was owled just as I woke up. Last night the Minister transferred money from his Gringotts account into a ghost account. They think it has something to do with the Elder wand being stolen. I have to go fill out paperwork for him, but I think there's more to it. Harry, I think you should talk to Parkinson."

 

"Parkinson?" asked Ron as Harry slapped the bacon on three plates. "What does Parkinson have to do with it?"

 

"I've heard. . . whispers. Over the years. She's part of a special branch of agents, I think she was recruited straight after the war. She didn't come back for Eighth Year.

 

Most of it is simply gossip, but I know she works abroad a lot. And last night she clearly knew something the Minister didn't want her saying. That's why I think you should talk to her. I would do it but I'm going to be busy all day with Shaklebolt." She sighed, massaging her temples. Ron smiled at her sympathetically.

 

"I would do it too, but Hermione seems to think that Parkinson would simply flip me off and kick me in the balls, so I'm off the table."

 

Harry handed them the plates.

 

Harry snickered. "Oh yeah, can't damage those." He shoved a piece of bacon into his mouth.

 

"So you'll do it?" She wrinkled her nose at his eating habits. Ron winked, tucking into his own breakfast.

 

"Mmm, yeah. I've got some paperwork to drop off. I'll just happen to bumb into Parkinson on my way. What department does she work in?"

 

"I'm not entirely sure she even works in one. I'd find Blaise Zabini though, they're clearly friendly."

 

* * *

 

 

At quarter past one, Harry had been informed by six different people of Minister Kingsley Shaklebolt's suspension, and he had acted shocked everytime, hoping to get more information. However it seemed that nobody knew more than Hermione.

 

Although, almost every wizard knew that Dumbledore's tomb had been broken into. The Daily Prophet had printed an article on it, saying that it was confirmed that a drunk muggle had tripped the wards which made people _think_ the late Headmaster's tomb had been broken into. If asked, Harry, and everyone else who was called from the function, was obliged to rattle off this story. As cover stories went it wasn't bad.

 

Harry had his paper work from a recent murder case involving a rogue vampire filled out early for once. He took his shield - a circular piece of steel with the four colours of Hogwarts banded around the sides, with the Hogwarts logo in the middle; Kingsley had presented him with it for 'brave Auror services' seven years ago, and it had been a constant companion in combat ever since - as it always made him look more important. People tended to get out of his way when he looked important.

 

 _Too bad Kingsley isn't here to see it._ Harry thought. Harry Potter turning anything that resembled an essay in early was nothing short of a miracle.

 

He knocked on Head Auror John Dawlish's office door before pushing it open when he heard the man in question grunt from inside.

 

"Sir," Harry greeted. "I've got my paper work for the Graham case." He handed the papers over to the tired-looking man. He turned to leave, wanting to find Parkinson, but Dawlish stopped him.

 

"Potter, sit."

 

"Sir?" He said as he lowered himself into the worn plush chair, opposite Dawlish's desk.

 

"As I have no doubt you know, Kingsley Shaklebolt has been suspended. I also know you know of the theft of the Elder Wand."

 

"Yes, I do."

 

"Listen closely, Potter. Kingsley Shaklebolt is one of my oldest and most trusted friend. After the war both of us had to work hard to put the Wizarding World back together. Especially after Fudge's murder, I was his former body guard."

 

Harry remembered that. It was only around a year after the war when Fudge had been murdered in his bathroom. The official report said he had been killed by an unknown curse. Harry had still been in training then so hadn't had access to any further information at the time. Even after all these years the killer had never been caught.

 

"Do I believe Kingsley has anything to do with the Elder Wand being stolen? No, I don't. I think somebody's trying to frame him for something, but I don't know what, and I'm hardly a young man anymore." Dawlish sighed.

 

Harry cocked his head."Are you saying you want me to investigate?"

 

Dawlish sighed again. "No, you're not the Boy-Who-Lived anymore. Just keep an eye out at all times."

 

Harry remembered what Kingsley had told him the night before.

 

"Certainly, sir."

 

* * *

 

 

As it happened, Harry spotted Parkinson coming out of the Department of Mysteries. She was alone, wearing dark green robes and glaring at anyone who came to close. Harry tried to look casual as he followed her.

 

Parkinson turned down a corridor and disappeared from sight. Harry followed her, and found himself alone in a deserted corridor. He slipped his wand into his hand, feeling the familiar comfort of the wood.

 

A force slammed into his knees and he crumpled. A hand grasped his neck and he found himself pressed against the wall, staring into the face of very angry Pansy Parkinson.

 

"What's your problem?" She hissed, her knee pushed into his crotch in a way that was not fun at all.

 

"What's yours?" He hissed back. He tightened his fingers around his wand. He could throw her a nasty hex if he wanted, yet didn't as he could wager that Parkinson knew an even nastier one.

 

Parkinson put her wand to his throat. "Why are you following me?" She demanded.

 

"I wasn't-!" He started to deny, stopping when Parkinson raised her eyebrow in a way that told him she didn't believe a word he said.

 

"I wanted to talk to you." He admitted. Parkinson didn't let him go completely, though she loosened her grip.

 

"About?"

 

"Last night. Kingsley. What were you two talking about?"

 

Parkinson really did let him go this time. He wriggled his hands in an attempt to get some feeling into them. Parkinson looked to him like he was mad. She stepped away from him, gving him space.

 

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

 

"Try me."

 

"Go home, Potter." She muttered as she stalked past him. Harry grabbed her arm and pulled her back to face him.

 

"There's a _thing_ , Potter. It's technically classified information, but I'm guessing the great Harry Potter wouldn't leak an international secret, would he?" She smiled with mock-sweetness. Harry rolled his eyes.

 

"Just tell me."

 

"What we were talking about, I can't say exactly, because even I don't know. But there's a person, both wizard and muggle, who is the most dangerous being on the planet. His magic never leaves a trace or a signature, and the only times he has ever been sighted is at tragedies'." She explained in a hushed tone.

 

"What's his name?" Harry asked.

 

She shrugged. "Nobody knows. He's nothing but a ghost story." Right on time, Parkinson's mobile chimed. She didn't even check it. "Well, look at that. Duty calls." She stalked past him.

 

"Parkinson!" He called. She turned but didn't stop her stride.

 

"If anything happens -"

 

"-You'll be the first to know." She said sarcastically before vanishing with a crack.

 

So, Harry thought as he stood alone in the corridor. A ghost story. An international secret. The most dangerous being on the planet. Only ever sighted at tragedies'.

 

 _You're not the Boy-Who-Lived anymore_ , he told himself.

 

Yeah, right.

 

* * *

 

 

Kingsley Shaklebolt rubbed his hands over his eyes as he drove home. He drove a muggle car, a Range Rover, home when he was stressed. He could of simply apparated home or floo'd, but there was something about driving a muggle vehicle that helped relieve his stress levels.

 

And today had certainly been a stressful day. Starting with last nights theft and then being suspended as soon as he had come into work. He had been suspended for three weeks whilst they investigated, and wasn't allowed to see to any important demands until he came back. It was a nightmare, and the only redeeming quality of his suspension was that he was allowed back for a national (or international) crisis.

 

Kingsley sighed, waiting for the red traffic light to turn green. It was a busy road in central London.

 

The light turned green, and the car in front of him turned left. Kingsley carried on going straight, preparing to go right at the next turn when suddenly, out of nowhere, a figure clad in all black, materialized from the air itself.

 

Kingsley slammed on the brakes, painfully being thrown forwards in his seat. The figure expertly raised the gun and fired.

 

Something attatched itself to the underside of his car, and the Minister found himself being violently flipped over, heat scorching his skin.

 

* * *

 

 

With the grace of a cat, the soldier stepped out of the way of the oncoming car. He didn't cough as the smoke from said car engulfed him, squeezing his throat. The soldier ignored it. He had a job to do.

 

He stalked forward, a sharpened knife in his hands, and wrenched off the door of the now flipped-over car with his metal arm.

 

The car was empty. Minister Kingsley Shaklebolt was not dead.

 

_Mission Report: Failed._


	3. Secrets of Powerful Men

After talking to Parkinson at the Ministry, Harry went to the Burrow, where he picked up Teddy Lupin for the rest of the day. Molly and Arthur were going out for the afternoon and needed someone to take care of him. Harry stepped up immediatly. He loved his godson like he would his actual child.

 

Andromeda Tonks, Teddy's last remaining blood relative, had been killed in a car accident four years prior. She had been driving her and Teddy home from a Ministry function late at night, as the floos tended to get busy at Ministry functions. No one knew what had happened exactly. They think she had swerved to miss an animal and the car ended up in a water-filled ditch. Andromeda was killed instantly, whilst Teddy remained unconscious in the backseat. His accidental magic had saved him that night, levitating his body out of the car just as the water had started to set in.

 

Teddy hadn't spoken for three months after, and still had trouble around cars. Surprisingly, he loved Harry's motorbike (he had only taken Teddy for a ride on it once) and always begged to ride it all the time.

 

"When you're older," Harry told him with a laugh. Teddy stuck his tongue out at him, his hair turning a neon green.

 

"Harry, why is Ron married and you're not?" Teddy had asked over lunch. Harry had almost choked on his sandwich. Trust him to get asked the awkward questions.

 

"Well, uh, some people just don't find people they want to marry early." He explained.

 

 _"Potter, you absolute poncy liar!"_ Malfoy's voice had sneered in his mind.

 

"Or sometimes they lose the people they love."

 

Teddy scratched his head. "Like Grandma? She told me once that she were married, to Ted Tonks. It's who I'm named after." Teddy had said proudly.

 

Harry had taken Teddy back to the Burrow later on, where he had been roped in for staying for dinner. Besides, Molly always cooked a wonderful roast dinner.

 

When he had floo'd back to Grimmauld Palace two hours later, he had known on princaple that something was wrong. As soon as he stepped out of his fireplace the hair on the back of his neck raised, and he felt his heart start to pound. He took another step forwards, stilling when he heard the crack of glass under his foot. He noticed a fallen picture frame, one of him and Ron after a quidditch match in sixth year, and saw the glass had cracked and smashed when it had hit the floor.

 

Harry's breath was caught in his throat. There was someone in Grimmauld. Someone who he didn't _know._ The only people who would come to Grimmauld unannounced were Ron and Hermione, and they had no reason to stay hidden.

 

His shield was resting on the dining room table, and he grabbed it quietly. He waved his wand, spelling for any hidden people, and found nothing on the first floor. He pointed his wand towards the ceiling and the tip turned red. The intruder was upstairs.

 

He crept slowly up the stairs, wand and shield raised. He listened for any sound, but heard only his own harsh breathing. The top stair creaked when he set his foot to it, and he winced at the loud sound. He stilled and listened again, and this time heard someone groan from the spare bedroom.

 

Harry tightened his hold on his wand and pushed the door open.

 

He didn't know who he had expected to be in his spare room, but it certainly wasn't Kingsley Shaklebolt, suspended Minister of magic, sitting bruised and battered on his spare bed.

 

Kingsley silenced Harry's unspoken question with a finger to his lips.

 

"My wife kicked me out." He explained as he wrote in the air with his wand.

 

_Ears everywhere_

 

"I didn't know you had a wife," Harry said, staring at a particularly nasty bruise on Kingsley's cheek.

 

"There's a lot of things you don't know about me."

 

_Ministry compromised_

 

Harry sucked in a breath. "Who else knows about your wife?"

 

"Just. . . my friends."

 

_You and me._

 

"How long do you plan on staying -"

 

_Bang!_

 

The window shattered and Kingsley was knocked to the floor by the blast. Harry grabbed him and dragged him behind the bed, shielding him from view.

 

Blood was pouring from his chest, and he was coughing up globs of the thick liquid. He pressed a key in Harry's hand, folding his fingers over it.

 

"Don't. Trust. Anyone!" He wheezed out.

 

 _"Expecto Patronum!"_ Harry yelled. A white stag shot from his wand, swirling around the room before kinnying in distress at the Minister. "Go get help!" Harry ordered.

 

"Tell them I have eyes on the shooter."

 

He climbed out of the window with his shield, ignoring the way the glass sliced his flesh. He swung himself up onto the rooftop, and saw a shadow figure leaping from house in front of him.

 

He ran after the shadow, chasing him over the rooftops until Harry saw that there was nowhere for the shadow to go.

 

Harry furiously tossed the shield at him, expecting the figure to crumple under its force, like all his previous enemies. Instead, shocking Harry into silence, the shadow grabbed it from the air just as it was about to hit his face, tossing it back to him with a casual strength that normal men were not supposed to possess.

 

The shadow then leapt from the building, onto the dark street below. Harry ran to the edge, expecting to see a flicker of _something_ , but there was nothing. The figure had melted into the shadows. He couldn't smell the burn of Apparition.

 

The figure was masked, and Harry couldn't see his face at all. The one distinguishing feature was the figure's arm - it was metal.

* * *

 

 

She pushed through the doors of St Mungos, waving her wand to adjust the wards to her presence. She walked calmly through the endless white corridors, smiling confidently at the Mediwitches and Mediwizards. She knew how to play them. Act like you belonged, and you find they'll accept you.

 

Her composure cracked slightly as she pushed through the final door, finding the golden trio waiting outside.

 

"Is he dead?" She asked bluntly. Granger, whose eyes were red-rimmed, shook her head.

 

"No, they're trying to save him. They don't know if. . ." She didn't finish, burying herself in Weasley's arms, yet Pansy knew what she meant.

 

They didn't know yet if he would live.

 

She sank into a chair opposite Potter, who was uncharastically silent. She narrowed her eyes at him when she saw the bloodstains on his shirt, which were absent on Granger and Weasley's. So that meant that Kingsley had been with Potter when he had been shot, and she knew for a fact that Potter hadn't been at the Ministry.

 

"There was fragments of magic embedded into the bullet, wasn't there? But no trace or magical signature."

 

Harry nodded, his face pale. She swallowed. "Tell me about the shooter."

 

He shrugged. "He was fast. A good shot. . . He had a metal arm."

 

She closed her eyes, leaning her head against the wall. Sometimes she hated being right.

 

Her ghost was a ghost no longer.

 

A shout started her from her thoughts. The door stayed closed, yet the shouting only got louder.

 

"Don't do this to me, Kingsley." She whispered to herself.

 

"Give - We're losing - Curse - Magic bullet-" She could make out.

 

The shouting abruptly stopped and she knew. By the looks on the trio's faces, especially Harry, they knew it too.

 

Three minutes later Kingsley Shaklebolt, was pronounced dead.

 

Harry takes the key out of his pocket and stares at it, as if it can give him all the answers.

* * *

 

　

 

It feels like losing.

 

He had wondered, in the dark corner of his mind, what losing the war would of been like. He knew he would be dead, so would Hermione and Ron, and the rest of Dumbledore's Army and the Order. They would've most likely died horrible, slow deaths.

 

And that was why he had deliberately not dwelled on the thought of losing. He had never dwelled on the 'what if's'.

 

But this, Kingsley's death, it feels like losing. And it feels bitter. And it feels wrong.

 

He glanced sideways at Hermione and Ron. Ron was holding Hermione tightly, and Harry could see the effort she's making to not break down in tears. Harry keeps swallowing, taking deep breaths through his nose, and he can hear Ron doing the same.

 

He glanced from his friends to Pansy Parkinson. She's just standing there, completely still and completely stoic. And then she turns on her heel and storms from the room.

 

Harry's finds himself following her without thinking.

 

"Pansy!" He called after her, making a couple of men in Auror robes look over to them. He quickly recognises them as Ernie MacMillan and Adrian Pucey. He grasped at the sleeve of her jacket.

 

"What was Shaklebolt doing in your apartment?" She turned furiously fast, dark eyes staring straight through him. He hadn't said anything, but felt as if she already knew.

 

"I don't know." Harry lied lamely.

 

"You're a terrible liar, Potter." Pansy yanked her sleeve from his grip, turning towards the Auror's. She happened to glance towards the floor, and saw the key in his other hand. Her eyes widended minutely. Then she stormed away, rudely barging past the Aurors who made the mistake of trying to question her.

 

He almost jumped out of his skin when a hand clapped him on his shoulder. Ron pulled him into a fierce hug.

 

"We have to get back, Rosie needs us. But listen, Harry, if you need us, firecall or floo us immediatly. We'll be there." Ron says, patting Harry's back. In all honesty, Ron didn't need to say it. Harry knew he would always find a home with the Granger-Weasley's.

 

"Yeah, I know. Tell Rosie uncle Harry says hello." Harry says as Hermione takes his hand and squeezes it. She doesn't say anything, just looks at him with tearful eyes, and Harry understands.

 

When they have left, Harry fiddles with the key in his trouser pocket. He didn't tell any of the Auror's who questioned him about it, not even Hermione and Ron. Whilst he had no idea what it contained, he did know that he couldn't be caught with it. He didn't even know what lock it opened. In his niave hands it was almost useless.


	4. Trust No One

Harry ran his fury down. Literally. On mornings when he was just really, really, angry at the world, he ran. He didn't do it as often as he used to in the early days after the war. But today was one of those days.

 

His route was normally empty this early, however today there was someone else on it. Harry passed him without looking, and the second time he passed him the man chuckled. When Harry finally stopped after two hours, the man stopped by him.

 

"How are you, Potter?" Blaise Zabini asked, panting heavily.

 

Harry leaned against a tree, equally as out of breath. "I'm, you know, alright."

 

"Listen I heard about Shacklebolt. I'm sorry, he was a good man."

 

"Yeah, he was." Harry agreed. Blaise rubbed his hands over his forehead.

 

"Potter, I know we aren't exactly the best of friends, but if you ever want a drink sometime, just owl. Or call. Because I have a mobile now." He said proudly. Harry snickered.

 

"Know how to work it yet?"

 

"Absolutely no idea. My girlfriend made me get it." He added.

 

"Well, I'll take you up on that offer." Harry said, holding out his hand. Blaise took it and shook it heartily.

 

"Later, Potter." He said before Apparating away.

 

Harry stayed out until noon, simply wondering around London. He planned to call in on Hermione and Ron later, and Molly and Arthur. They were probably concerned about how he was doing. He had been closest to Kingsley, one of his favourite Aurors (even if the man insisted he didn't have favourites). It was different to when Cornelius Fudge had been killed. It wasn't that Fudge's death hadn't affected him, he just hadn't been as close to him as he had Kingsley.

 

* * *

 

 

When Harry finally went home just after getting a cheap lunch, he found a Ministry owl tapping on his window. He let the fawny owl in, stroking its feathers. He had always intended to get

 

He untied the letter from the bird's leg and tore open the official Auror seal, quickly reading the letter as he gave the bird the leftover crust from his sandwich.

 

_Dear Mr Potter_

 

_I apologise for calling you in so soon after the recent tradegy, but I am afraid I have some urgent matters to discuss for with you. Please meet me at my office as soon as you recieve this letter._

 

_\- Head Auror J.Dawlish_

 

Harry sent the owl back with a wave of his wand, then summoned his Auror robes and shield. After tugging on the robes and settling his shield on his back with a sticking time, he apparated to the Ministry.

 

* * *

 

 

"Harry," Dawlish said. "I am glad you recieved my letter. Sit," Harry sat in the chair facing Dawlish's desk.

 

"I'm aware you have already been interviewed by other Aurors, but I believe I may be able to shed some light on a few things." He handed a piece of paper to Harry. It was a picture of a youngish, muscled man with a bruised face.

 

"Who is this?" Harry asked in bemusement.

 

"That man is called Caslav Begovic. We picked him up in a not so safe house this morning." He looked at Harry, who didn't understand where this was going.

 

"Money went missing from Kingsley's Gringotts account the night the Elder Wand was stolen. We traced it through seven accounts, and then it disappeared. Begovic has been on our radar for a while - he's a Serbian halfblood - and he was in London at the time of Kingsley's death. When we raided the safe house we found a sum of the money."

 

"But he wasn't the killer." Harry said. He still didn't understand exactly what Kingsley had supposedly done.

 

"No, but we believe Begovic was a kind of middle man. Kingsley gave him the money, but something went wrong and Begovic paid someone to take him out." Dawlish explained.

 

Harry's head was reeling. Kingley, betray them? For what? Why would Kingsley need or want the Elder Wand? Kingsley had greatly respected Dumbledore. Why would he go against his morals to steal it? Why, why, why?

 

"Harry, I have to ask; what was Kingsley doing in your house last night?"

 

 _The Ministry is comprimised,_ he thought.

 

"I don't know," It wasn't technically an outright lie. He still didn't understand why Kingsley had gone to him and not someone better suited to whatever the hell was going on.

 

Dawlish sighed. "Harry, Kingsley was a dear friend of mine. I know there was a reason he came to your place and not anyone else's. So I'll ask you again; what was Kingsley doing in your house?" There was a hardness in his voice that hadn't been there before.

 

Harry swallowed, knowing he was treading on dangerous ground. Just how dangerous was something he could only guess.

 

"He told me not to trust anyone." He admitted.

 

"I wonder if that meant him, too." Dawlish said.

 

Dawlish watched Harry with predatory eyes as the once-savior left his office. It was time for another enemy to be eliminated.

 

* * *

 

 

He felt hundreds of eyes on him as he walked from Dawlish's office to the elevator. Not the usual 'it's the boy who lived!' stares, they had somewhat subsided over the years. These stares felt predatory. He kept constantly checking over his shoulder, convinced that someone was going to leapt at him with an Avada Kedavra. Maybe he was just paranoid.

 

He thought he might get some privacy in the elevator, but he was very wrong. Ernie, wearing his combat clothes, came in first.

 

"Harry," He greeted. Harry nodded in acknowledgement. They rode the elevator in silence until they stopped at the second floor, where two other members of the Aurors got in, nodding to Harry. Harry recognised them as Graham Pritchard, Malcolm Wares. They stopped at the next floor and one other Auror member entered. Harry didn't bother to try to remember his name; he was too focused on Ernie.

 

The former Dumbledore's Army member and trusted Auror partner was sweating profusedly, and his hands twitched at his sides. He glancing at Harry and then the wall. Harry looked at the others, and saw they were mimicking him. It was then Harry realised that he was surrounded, flanked on every side.

 

Oh. This was not going to end well.

 

"Before we get started," He said to Ernie, "does anyone want to get out?"

 

And then all hell broke lose.

 

* * *

 

 

Harry smacked Pritchard in the face with the shield, efficiently sending him into the wall, where he dropped to the floor clutching his bloody nose.

 

" _Stupefy_!" Ernie shouted, Harry defected it with the shield. He cast a nasty stinging hex at Wares and then kicked him in the crotch. One of the nameless Aurors hooked their leg around his and yanked him to the floor. Harry jumped up and drove his fist into his face with all the force he could muster.

 

" _Imperio_!" Ernie shouted. Harry felt the unforgivable curse take hold on his mind, freezing him in place. He felt like he was in fourth year again. "Just want you to know, this isn't personal." Ernie pointed his wand at Harry's chest.

 

And Harry broke free of the curse, barreling into Ernie, who was taken easily in his surprise, and pinning him to the elevator wall. From there he punched him in the face, and dropped him to the floor and stamped on his nose.

 

"It kind of feels personal." Harry snarled.

 

The elevator door sprang open, and without even looking Harry barreled into the crowd shield first, knocking down the Auror that had been sent to intercept him.

 

He ran through the second floor of the Ministry, towards the stairwell. There were Aurors behnd him, chasing him and throwing stunning spells at his back. It was only sheer luck that he managed to duck and dodge every single one.

 

Harry skidded to a halt when he saw Aurors coming at him from the stairwell. It was his only way down, unless he -

 

Harry ran to the railing, and without giving himself time to think he leapt over the side, keeping his body curled behind the shield as he crashed to the floor.

 

The impact was lessened by the shield, but it still jarred him badly. He staggered to his feet on shaky legs, stumbling through the crowd.

 

A hand grabbed his shoulder and pulled him backwards.

 

" _Stupefy_!" Another person yelled, and the person holding Harry slumped to the floor. Harry turned and saw Pansy Parkinson running towards him. She grabbed his robes and Harry felt the sickening pull of Apparation as the Ministry began to melt away around them.

 

* * *

 

 

"Where the fu. . ." Harry moaned as he collapsed to his knees in -

 

He looked around. An apartment? A fairly basic, muggle apartment.

 

"That was real stupid of you, Potter, jumping down a stairwell. What the hell were you _thinking_?" She hissed, grabbing his chin and pulling him to his feet.

 

"I was thinking that I didn't want to get _killed_ ," He hissed back. "Where are we, anyway?"

 

"My apartment. One of them, anyway." Pansy told him.

 

"It's very . . . muggle." Harry said.

 

"So it is. Sit." Harry sat at the small table in the kitchen area, Pansy taking the seat opposite him.

 

"I know who killed Shaklebolt." Pansy started. Harry gaped at her. "Most of the intelligence community, magic or muggle, doesn't believe he exists. The ones that do call him the Winter Wizard. He's credited for over two dozen assassinations in the last ten years."

 

"So he's a ghost story," Harry counted.

 

"Five years ago I was escorting a muggleborn nuclear engineer out of Iran, somebody shot at my tires near Odessa. We lost control, went straight over a cliff, I pulled us out, but the Winter Wizard was there. I was covering my engineer so he shot her straight through me." She pulled up her robe, showing Harry the bullet scar on her stomach.

 

"The bullet was enchanced with magic, completely untraceable. The bullet's target was the girl, and the magic in it made it start to literally eat her. The one with Kingsley was different, but it was the same shooter. So, bye-bye bikinis."

 

"Yeah, bet you look terrible in them now." Harry said sarcastically.

 

"Going after him's a dead end, I know I've tried. Like you said, he's a ghost story."

 

"Let's find out what the ghost wants."

 

Pansy leaned back in her chair. "I know Shaklebolt gave you his key. Do you know what it's for?"

 

Harry fingered the key in his pocket. "I have absolutely no idea."

 

"Then it's a good thing I do." Pansy dropped another, identical key on the table.

 

"What are they for?"

 

"The Department of Mysteries. The really, really dark parts. You need two Alpha level keys to open it. You have Shaklebolt's, I have Dawlish's."

 

"You stole it?" Harry guessed.

 

"I sure did. So, now we just have to sneak into the Ministry on magic without being caught."

 

"Got any polyjuice?" Harry grumbled, half serious.

 

"Unfortunately, no. We'll just have to use glamour charms." Pansy drew her wand, muttering the charm.

 

Harry watched his hair grow to his shoulders, and felt the width of his nose widen. He saw his skin lighten and felt himself lose some of his muscle.

 

Pansy did her own charm, turning her black hair red and making her face chubbier, losing some of its hardness. She turned her dark eyes a vibrant blue, and as a finishing touch gave herself freckles.

 

"Your name is Roger Stevens, and I'm Natalia Roman. Don't address me as otherwise, at any point, understand?"

 

Harry nodded, then pulled a face. "But why the name ' _Roger_ '?" Pansy rolled her eyes.

 

"He's a man who works in the Department of Mysteries, Natalia Roman is his girlfriend. They're supposed to be on holiday, so if anyone asks we can just say we were back early."

 

"Is he muggleborn?"

 

"Yes?"

 

"Good." Harry said as he transfigured his robes into muggle jeans and top, making a hoodie as well. Pansy did the same, though hers was more stylish.

 

She held out her arm. "Ready?" Harry grabbed it.

 

"As I'll ever be."

 

* * *

 

 

The Ministry was taking a lot more precautions than Harry had been expecting. Aurors were prowling around the corridors, randomly stopping people and searching them. Harry and Pansy walked as inconspiculously as possible.

 

"Attention, all ministry personal!" Dawlish's voice came over the speakers. "Harry James Potter, one-time savior of the British wizarding world, is now an enemy to the ministry. He is now an official suspect to Kingsley Shaklebolt's murder, and a fugitive. Remember, withholding information is a crime."

 

Harry froze, staring wide-eyed at the people around him, forgetting he was Roger Stevens. Pansy tugged on his arm.

 

"Ignore it," She whispered. She grabbed his arm and led him to the elevator, which was almost empty. Ernie Macmillan, whose face was bruised in a way that had Harry satisfied, stopped them when they were about to get in.

 

"Sir, my I ask your name and your work address?" Harry froze again, not knowing what exactly Roger Stevens did for a living. Goddammit, why didn't Pansy tell him this?

 

"Oh, I'm Natalie Romans. I work in the Unregisted Dark Artifacts office. This is my boyfriend, Roger Stevens." Pansy gushed, slipping her hand into Harry's and batting her eyelashes in a way that reminded him of Ron and Lavender is Sixth year.

 

Ernie looked between them, then paused and stepped aside.

 

"Your data checks out."

 

Pansy pulled him into the elevator, slamming it shut and pressing the Ground Floor button.

 

"What was that all about?" Harry asked as he felt the elevator start to descend.

 

She shrugged. "Public displays of affection make people very uncomfortable." Harry had to agree.

 

The elevator was about to open again when Pansy suddenly yanked him towards her hand pressed her lips to his. Harry fumbled, not understanding what Pansy was doing or why.

 

"None of that, please." The clipped tones of Head Auror Dawlish said. Harry and Pansy leapt apart, and it was only acting on her part.

 

"Sorry, sir." Pansy said. Harry felt Dawlish's eyes on him as he grabbed Pansy's hand led her from the elevator.

 

"Still uncomfortable?" She muttered uncomfortably.

 

"That's not what I'd call it." Harry said, even more uncomfortable.

 

* * *

 

 

"Key," Harry handed it to her. She put her key in one of the key holes, and Kingsley's in the other. They turned, and then another button appeared from the wall. Pansy pushed it and the keys popped back out and dropped into her hands. The glamour charms had faded by now, they were lucky they had lasted as long as they had.

 

"That was it?" Harry had been expecting something more dramatic and difficult.

 

"Afraid so. Can I ask you something?" Pansy asked, the begining of a smirk on her face.

 

"Go ahead."

 

"What that your first kiss since 1996?"

 

Harry spluttered. "No that - of course not - wait, you knew about me and Draco?"

 

"Draco wasn't as subtle as he liked to think he was. He'd come back to the common room with hickeys, and I saw how he looked at you."

 

"Yes, well. It was," Harry didn't know what else to say. It simply was. He couldn't explain why or how. It just _was_.

 

"He really did love you. I had never seen him act like it around anyone else, but you, you were always special to him." Pansy said softly. Harry nodded, swallowing around the lump in his throat.

 

"Yeah, the feeling was mutual. . . And no, that was not my first kiss since 1996. I'm twenty-seven, not eighty."

 

"No one special, though?" Pansy pressed.

 

"It's kind of difficult to find someone with shared life experiences."

 

Pansy stared at him. "We were all in the war, Potter."

 

"Yeah, I know. But it's just, there are a lot of things that happened that the public doesn't know about, and never will."

 

"What about muggles?"

 

Harry snorted. "I hardly doubt they would have similar life experiences."

 

Pansy shrugged. "I don't know, just make something up."

 

"What, like you?" He guessed. Pansy seemed a very secretive person, and he couldn't even imagine her ever having a boyfriend or girlfriend.

 

"Truth is a matter of circumstance." She said.

 

Harry studied her for a second before turning his eyes back to the road. "It's a tough way to live."

 

"It's a good way not to die, though."

 

The elevator stopped with a soft thump, and the doors opened into darkness.

 

"Lumos," They both muttered. Their wands lit up the small area around them, and they found that the floor was empty.

 

"This can't be the final floor, there's nothing here." Pansy whispered. Harry turned his wand left and right. He walked forwards, but still found nothing.

 

"Wait," Pansy said. She shone her wand north-west. It lit up a small, darkened corridor.

 

Harry hurried after her. "This isn't creepy at all." He muttered. At the end of the corridor there was a metal door with keypad next to it. He slipped the shrunken version of his shield from his pocket and charmed it back to size. It was a comforting weight in his hands.

 

"Revelio." The numbers 4583 swirled from Pansy's wand. She typed them in and the door slowly opened. Harry pulled it open the whole way and found himself blinking at the light from the room. He pulled the door closed behind him.

 

The room was painted a greyish colour, and had a memorial of a pheonix painted on the wall. Harry thought about the order, and wondered if this was some place for them. Maybe a secret base or something.

 

But that didn't make any sense. If this was something to do with the order then why didn't he know about it? Surely somebody would've told him.

 

"Potter, come look at this." Pansy called him over to the filing cabinet she was standing by.

 

"What is it?" Pansy handed him a file.

 

"Death records. People who died in the war against Voldemort, first and second."

 

_Marlene Mckinnon_

 

_Sarah Mckinnon_

 

_John Mckinnon_

 

_Fabian Prewett_

 

_Gideon Prewett_

 

_Edgar Bones_

 

_Olivia Bones_

 

_April Bones_

 

_Joseph Bones_

 

_Dorcas Meadowes_

 

_Benjy Fenwick_

 

_Lily Potter_

 

_James Potter_

 

_Caradoc Dearborn_

 

_Regulus Black_

 

"This isn't all of them," Harry said, averting his eyes from his parent's names. "There isn't enough names on here. I think it mght just be the Order of the Pheonix members." He looked at the second list.

 

_Cedric Diggory_

 

_Fred Weasley_

 

_Colin Creevey_

 

_Vincent Crabbe_

 

_Remus Lupin_

 

_Nymphadora Tonks_

 

_Ted Tonks_

 

_Albus Dumbledore_

 

_Draco Malfoy_

 

_Sirius Black_

 

_Severus Snape_

 

_Parvati Patil_

 

"This isn't everyone, either." Pansy narrowed her eyes.

 

"What's the point of having records if they're incomplete?"

 

Shrugging, Harry dumped the files back in the cabinet As he walked away he suddenly felt a chill. He stopped and stared. Pansy didn't seem to notice, still looking over the files. He took a step forwards, and the chill feeling vanished. He stepped backwards and it returned. It was coming from an empty bookcase, Harry realised. There was a tiny gap from where it met the wall. Harry pushed his hands into the gap and shoved the bookcase as hard as he could. It came away from the wall entirely, falling to the floor with a thump, revealing another door.

 

"Ever so subtle, Potter."

 

"It's one of my Gryffindor specialities." He quipped. He kicked the door open, as there was no lock or keypad.

 

The room that lay beyond the door was much different to the one before it; it was filled with technology. But this technology was old, the computer was bulky and had several keyboards and other screens attached.

 

"This can't be what we're looking for, this technology is ancient." Pansy voiced his thoughts. She noticed what looked like padlocks attatched to the main computer. Deciding she may as well try she clicked the keys into the locks.

 

The computers sprang to life, whirring and clicking.

 

 _Initiate System_ The computer said. Harry typed _Y-E-S._

 

"Good afternoon," A silky voice said suddenly, one that Harry believed to be long dead.

 

"What the fu-" He snarled.

 

The voice tutted, "Such vulgar language, do you kiss your mummy with that mouth - oh, wait." It taunted.

 

The silhouette of Tom Riddle stepped from the shadows. He looked exactly as he did in Slughorn's memory, right down to the Slytherin uniform. Harry watched in horror as Tom Riddle'w form flickered, then became transparent.

 

"How are you here?" He gasped. His hand tightened on his wand, raising it to meet Riddle's chest.

 

"You're a ghost, aren't you?" Pansy said. "You can't even keep a proper form." She was looking at him in disgust. Riddle looked as equally disgusted with her.

 

"And you're working with a _Gryffndor_." He spat the name like it was poison.

 

"How are you here? I _killed_ you. I destroyed all the horcruxes!"

 

"I'm not, I am merely an echo, not a ghost."

 

Pansy raised an eyebrow. "But you're trapped here, aren't you? You can't ever leave."

 

Riddle laughed cruelly. "Why would I want to leave? I have everything I need right here." He gestured at the computers around the room. Harry found it odd that he was so casual about using muggle technology.

 

"What does that mean?" He growled.

 

"You think the war ended a decade ago, but it has only just begun. And you will be no savior this time, merely a casualty of war. As with all your mudblood and traitor friends." He hissed.

 

"You died. How did the war not end?"

 

"You think I only had supporters on British soil? Oh, you stupid boy. I have extended my power far around the world. _Ave Vipera_."

 

"Hail Snake." Pansy mumured. "It's another part of your army, isn't it? A terrorist organisation."

 

"A little different to my loyal Death Eaters, but the end goal is the same: eliminate every threat to wizarding kind. Members of Vipera are everywhere, your Ministry is teeming with them. And soon, I will rise from the ashes reborn, and claim my place."

 

"How have you done this?" Harry gasped just as Pansy said "What does the Elder Wand have to do with it?"

 

Tom Riddle sighed. "The answer to both those questions is fascinating, but I'm afraid you will both be too dead to hear it."

 

The tip of Pansy's wand glowed red.

 

"Potter, we have incoming!"

 

"Who fired it?"

 

"The Auror department!"

 

Harry grabbed a grate from the floor and yanked it up. He grabbed Pansy and threw her in and leapt in after her, holding the shield above him to protect them from debri as the lower levels of the Department of Mysteries collapsed around them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It says on Harry Potter Wiki that Edgar Bones and his wife and multiple children died, as their names are never given I made them up. Same for Marlene Mckinnon's family.


	5. The Winter Wizard

Ernie coughed as he took in the wreck that was left of the lower floors of the Department of Mysteries. The missile they had set had been magical, only destroying what needed to be destroyed.

 

He and his team were searching for bodies, and hadn't had much luck so far. There was nothing but dust.

 

"Find anything?" He shouted to Pritchard.

 

"Footprints!" Pritchard yelled back. Ernie hurried over to him and sure enough, there was one set of footprints leading away from the wreckage, out of the wards that didn't allow apparating.

 

"Dammit," He swore. He set his wand to the communitcation setting, "Call in the assest."

* * *

 

 

When John Dawlish floo'd from his office to his house, he was exhausted. The damn Potter and the Parkinson girl had gotten away _again_. How they had survived the missile blast he didn't know.

 

He walked into his kitchen, only pausing for second when he saw the assest sitting in a chair, metal arm gleaming in the moonlight.

 

"I'm going to go now, Mr Dawlish!" His housekeeper, Melanie, called from the other end of the house.

 

"Have a nice evening," He called back, not taking his eyes of the asset. He pulled open the fridge. "Want some milk?" He asked as he poured himself some.

 

The asset stared at him, unable to comprehend the simple question.

 

"Where moving the ritual to two days away, as well as the project. You have your target?" The assest still didn't break his gaze. Someone gasped from behind him.

 

"S-sorry, Mr Dawlish, I forgot my phone. . ." Melanie stared at the asset, who merely stared back.

 

"Oh, Melanie. Why couldn't you knock?" Dawlish sighed, pointing his wand at her and swiftly extinguishing her life with a bolt of green.

* * *

 

 

Blaise had assumed he would find the postman, or maybe someone selling something. He did not expect to find a battered Pansy Parkinson and Harry Potter on his doorstep.

 

"Hey, guys." He said, looking between them in confusion.

 

"Everyone we know is trying to kill us." Pansy said.

 

"Not everyone." Blaise let them in, then locked the door and drew the blinds.

 

"Harry?" A familiar voice said. Harry looked over Blaise's shoulder to find Ginny Weasley, dressed in a green Quidditch shirt and nothing else.

 

"Gin?"

 

Blaise coughed. Ginny snickered. "Let me guess, Blaise forgot to tell you, we're dating."

 

"Oh," Harry said, feeling awkward and out of place, barging into their home without warning. "That's nice." He could feel Pansy smirking.

 

"Well, the bathrooms down there, first room on the left. Spare bedroom is the second on the right."

 

* * *

 

 

Pansy was drying her hair, a pensive look on her face, when Harry came out of the shower.

 

"Hey," He said. Pansy looked up. "are you alright?"

 

"With finding out everything I've been fighting for in the last ten years was worthless? Surprisingly not bad."

 

"Can I ask, and you can tell me to piss off, but what do you actually do? I mean, you're clearly high up and Kingsley, but you're not an Auror."

 

"After the war, Slytherin's, well, we didn't exactly get many job offers, whether we fought on the wrong side or not. Shaklebolt gave me a job offer. He needed someone to go abroad, dismantle and find any Death Eaters. I did that for years, and then worked on private missions. My loyalty was to Kingsley, not the Ministry. I thought, that after all I'd done, it would be over. But I guess we just traded one war for another."

 

Harry nodded. "And we one the first one, and we'll win this one." He said determinedly.

 

"Do you even know who we're fighting?"

 

"I guess we'll find out."

 

"Now, can I ask you something?"

 

"Go ahead."

 

"If it was me, and I had to save you from something, would you trust me? After everything that happened at Hogwarts?"

 

"I would now." Harry said truthfully.

 

Blaise stuck his head around the door. "I made breakfast, if you people eat those kind of things."

 

* * *

 

 

"The question is, what's Vipera?" Harry said over some toast.

 

"Vipera is a terrorist organisation, derived from Voldemort's followers." Blaise said. Harry and Pansy stared at him. "What?"

 

"Granger did some research, sent it to me. She couldn't get in touch with you, it was just before they announced you a fugitive."

 

"They're not involved, don't worry. They've gone into hiding. So have mum and dad, and Teddy." Ginny added. It made Harry feel slightly better knowing his two best friends and their child wouldn't be on the firing line.

 

"But why would they need the Elder Wand?" Pansy thought aloud. Blaise handed her a file.

 

"Because of this."

 

" _Vivens Mortuus Est._ " She read. "Living dead?"

 

"It's a ritual, to bring someone back. It's extremely old and banned everywhere, literally every wizarding government has it banned. The ban is so old that governments forget it even exists. Because it's so old I could find hardly anything on it. But the two main points are to bring someone back you need the wand that killed them and their killer to be dead." Blaise explained.

 

"Well, good job I'm not dead." Harry said flatly.

 

Ginny shuddered. "Why would anyone want Tom Riddle back?"

 

"Strategic value. Riddle was smart enough to create horcruxes, smart enough to kill Dumbledore, and take over the Ministry. Even if he was defeated in the end, he still managed to kill a lot of people." explained Pansy.

 

"But there's something we're missing. Why would John Dawlish and Ernie Macmillan join the Death Eaters? Or at least people who are trying to get Voldemort back? Ernie and Dawlish both had a passionate hatred for the dark arts."

 

Ginny took a bite out of her bacon sandwich. "War changes people."

 

Blaise was frowning. "There's something missing else from this picture. Even with all this, there are still hundreds, thousands of people who would be smart enough to help stop them. If Kingsley was a threat and they eliminated him, how are they going to take out everyone else?"

 

They were silent for a moment, until Pansy suddenly swore loudly. "The helicarriers!"

 

"The what?" Ginny asked.

 

"Helicarriers are a muggle invention, but they're wired with magic so technically they belong to the Ministry. They're weapons. Armed with guns, those things could Avada Kedava thousands of people in a second. It would explain why they would need Kingsley out of the way so badly. Kingsley, as Minister, had complete control over them. But if something were to happen to the Minister, guess who could take charge?"

 

Harry groaned. "Dawlish."

 

"But you don't know that for sure. What if you're wrong?" Ginny queried.

 

It was a good point, Harry thought. If they were wrong and the plan turned out to be completely different, then the results would be disastrous.

 

"You need a way of being sure." She continued.

 

"I say we kidnap one of them." Blaise suggested.

 

"Some of them have kids. Threats?" suggested Pansy.

 

"Too long." Blaise concluded. Harry stared between them, both amazed and disturbed by how casually they talked of abducting someone. Ginny snorted at the expression on his face.

 

"So, you kidnap one. How?" She said.

 

"Ernie Macmillan. He's at a conference today, it was in _The Daily Prophet._ I could probably help, as I'm not even a suspect."

 

"So could I." Ginny offered.

 

"No, I don't want to get other people involved in this. You're already in danger." Harry argued. Irritated, Ginny huffed.

 

"You said it yourself Harry, we're already in danger. And if it means risking our lives to save the wizarding world, then I'd do it, and you are not stopping me." Blaise was looking at Ginny, a completely love-struck expression on his face.

 

Pansy smirked at him. "Looks like we've got an army, now."

 

* * *

 

 

"Why do I have to be in the back?" Ginny complained.

 

"You're not the only one." Pansy grumbled.

 

"I'm the only one with a drivers liscence." Blaise argued. Pansy coughed.

 

"Well fine, but it's my car and no way do I trust your reckless driving."

 

"I can drive a motorbike." Harry said.

 

"Do your glasses have lenses, Potter? Because this is not a motorbike. It is a wonderful, new car, and I want to keep it that way." said Blaise as he turned, heading for West Minster bridge.

 

Suddenly they were thrown forwards as a car behind them rammed into the back of Blaise's car. Blaise drove furiously forwards, knowing that it wasn't a normal accident. Harry was almost stranguled by his seat belt, and he looked upwards and saw the Winter Wizard standing a few metres in front of the car.

 

"Shit-" Blaise either didn't see him or didn't care, as he only increased his speed. At the last second, when Harry was sure the Winter Wizard really was about to become a ghost story, the Wizard leapt onto the roof of the car.

 

Pansy shoved Blaise and Harry sideways, kicking Ginny forwards as bullets were fired into the headrests of their seats. Blaise swerved, trying to throw the Wizard off, but his metal arm crashed through the front window, yanking the steering wheel from Blaise's grip.

 

"Holy fu-" Another car slammed into theirs, sending it skidding dangerously close to the walls of the bridge. Muggles screamed and rushed to get away. The Wizard leapt from their car to the one behind it, letting it ram into Blaise's car again. Harry grabbed his shield.

 

"They're going to send us over! Potter, the door!" Pansy yelled. She grabbed Ginny, Harry grabbed Blaise, and as the car tipped over shoved them out of the doors.

 

The other muggles had either run to the other side of the bridge, or were driving frantically away. Some of the cars had crashed into each other, and Harry knew some people were seriously hurt. But he couldn't stop to help them, as much as he wanted to. They weren't the Winter Wizard's targets.

 

Aurors spilled from the cars, and Pansy pushed Ginny behind her. All four drew their wands. Ginny leapt behind a car, pulling Pansy down with her. The Winter Wizard fired his gun, straight at Harry. He raised his shield just in time, but was thrown backwards by the force. The Winter Wizard leapt over a car, and Pansy fired a muggle gun at his face. It barely seemed to effect him, as all he did wis rip off his glasses.

 

An Auror fired at him as he shielded himself. The curses bounced off the shield, protecting him.

 

The Winter Wizard held the gun tightly as he scoured the crowd, looking for one of his targets. Two of them had simply seemed to vanish, and they had been the most dangerous two.

 

Over the screaming of various muggles, he heard a calm, female voice.

 

"London Bridge, Winter Wizard attack. Muggles in danger, needing obliviation."

 

He turned, and saw it was coming from another car. He knelt down and rolled a grenade along the ground, watching it as it exploded. But something was wrong, no one screamed, where was the girl-?

 

And then someone barreled into him, twisting their legs around his neck. He jumped backwards into a car, letting the person on top of him take the force. He grabbed them by their waist and threw them off him. The girl thumped against the another car, throwing something small at his metal arm as he aimed his gun. The metal arm spasmed, and he stared at it in bewilderment, clenching his fingers.

 

The girl ran just as he got his arm under control. He fired a single shot at her through a car window. He saw her go down, but she wasn't dead. And they _all_ needed to die.

 

He raised his gun at her, and then the man with the shield fired a hex at him. Forgetting the girl, he fired at the man, sending him to the ground again.

 

Harry pulled himself up as the Winter Wizard advanced on him. He could hear Ginny and Blaise fighting the Aurors in the distance. He didn't know where Pansy was.

 

The Wizard threw a punch with his metal arm, and it clanged against his shield. The impact sent Harry scrambling backwards, and he leapt over a car. The Wizard followed him, punching his arm at the ground so hard the concrete cracked.

 

The Winter Wizard shoved him into the side of a van, stabbing a knife millimetres from Harry's head. Harry ducked as the Wizard dragged the knife near his head.

 

Harry jabbed the shield into the Winter Wizard's chest, leaving him reeling for a moment. It gave him the seconds-long outing he needed to duck from his grasp, before the Wizard was back up.

 

Harry blocked another punch - insanely grateful for the intense Auror training - and ducked as the Winter Wizard slashed at him with a knife. The Wizard kicked him in the chest, sending him to the floor. But when the Wizard came at him again he was ready for it. He slammed his shield into his face, grabbing him the chin and flipping him over.

 

The Wizard turned, and time seemed to slow around him. The mask had fallen off, and the Winter Wizard was impossible not to recognise. The colour of his hair, the unmistakable pointy features, the stormy grey of his eyes.

 

"Draco?" The word was out of his mouth before his mind could catch up with it.

 

"Who the hell is Draco?" The Winter Wizard blinked, seeming to hesitate, before firing his gun at Harry's chest. Harry ducked at the last second, as Pansy fired a grenade over his shoulder, at the Wizard.

 

The Winter Wizard vanished amongst the smoke.

 

* * *

 

 

"On your knees! Now!" Ernie kicked Harry in the back of his legs, forcing him to his knees. He hardly noticed, too frozen in shock.

 

Draco was _alive_. How? He had been dead for a decade. He had hoped, after the war when the clean up had started, that he was alive somewhere. Not many people had cared that much, Draco was merely another Death Eater to them. Yet to Harry, to Lucius and Narcissa, he was so much more. But they weren't even alive anymore, murdered a year after the war. He had stopped searching for Draco after they had died, believing him to be dead with them.

 

But he wasn't. Wasn't he? If the Winter Wizard was alive, then surely Draco was in there somewhere.

 

He was pushed down into a seat in the Ministry van, locked in place, anti-Appariting wards set. There was no way out this time.

 

"Harry, are you alright?" Ginny asked, glaring at the masked Aurors.

 

"Draco. It was _D-Draco_." He stuttered.

 

"Who was?" She asked. Blaise and Pansy were both staring at him, Blaise in confusion and Pansy in horror.

 

"The Winter Wizard. It was him. His mask came off. He. . . He looked at me and didn't even recognise me."

 

"How? He's been dead for ten years." said Blaise.

 

"The Winter Wizard has been at large for around ten years, too." Pansy said, wincing as blood seeped through her jacket from the bullet wound in her shoulder.

 

"She needs medical attention. She's going to bleed out if you don't put pressure on that." Ginny pointed out to the Aurors. One of them grabbed a baton and aimed it at her, before swinging it into the other Aurors chest, electricuting him.

 

"This thing was squeezing my brain." Ron Weasley muttered as he pulled the helmet off his head. He sighed. "What the bloody hell are you doing here, Gin?"

 

* * *

 

 

**Deep into the lower levels of Gringotts bank. 1800HRS.**

 

_"You are no assassin, Draco."_

 

_"Draco! What's going on?" Fighting. Hexes, curses. Being torn apart. Blood. So much blood. The dark-haired boy screaming._

 

_"Draco!" The boy was screaming again._

 

_Pain. Cold. Ice. Painpainpainpainarmarmarmarm where?_

 

_"The procedure has already started." Two men, looking so similar, smirking at him._

 

_Metalmetalmetalmetal strangling someone._

 

_Draco?_

 

The Winter Wizard rocketed up from his seat, slapping aside the technician that was working on his arm. The others in the room instantly raised their guns and wands, wary. But all he did was sit there, breathing hard.

 

"Sir, he's unstable. Erratic." Dawlish paid him no mind, strolling through to where the asset was being kept. The asset didn't look up as he came in, staring with wide eyes at a spot near his feet.

 

"Mission report." He barked. The asset didn't respond.

 

"Mission report. _Now_!" He demanded. Still, the asset was unresponsive. He drew back his hand and swiftly backhanded him across the face.

 

"The man. . ." The asset croaked slowly. "The man on the bridge, who was he?"

 

"You met him earlier this week on another assignment." He lied.

 

The asset frowned, screwing up his face as if in pain.

 

"I knew him."

 

"Your work has been a gift to wizardkind. You've shaped the decade. And I need you to do it one more time. Society is at a tipping point between order and choas. Tommorow morning we're going to give it a push. You don't do your part, I can't do mine, and Vipera can't give the world the freedom it deserves."

 

"But I _knew_ him." He repeated dumbly.

 

Dawlish sighed, stepping back. "Prep him." He ordered.

 

"He's been out of cryo for too long. . ." One of the technicians timidly pointed out.

 

"Then wipe him and start over."

 

The Wizard didn't fight as he was pushed back in the chair. He opened his mouth obediantly to take in the mouth guard. He wouldn't remember the procedure, Dawlish knew, but he knew what was coming next.

 

He clenched his flesh arm as the rest of the machine came down around his head. His breathing got more ragged as the technician attached his wand to the machine.

 

"Obliviate." He said.

 

The procudure they used was more complex than a normal obliviating spell. They couldn't wipe anything, just normal memories. Hence why they used the chair, the elecricity literally shocked the memories out of him, while the spell took any memories that he didn't need and locked them away in an impenetrable part of his mind.

 

Dawlish left Gringotts with the Winter Wizard's screams fresh on his mind. Tommorow morning, they would both do their jobs. Tommorow morning the world would be free.


	6. The Fight for Freedom

"Harry!" Hermione said joyfully, squeezing the life out of him as she wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "God, I was so worried!"

 

"I'm fine." He said. Hermione pulled back with a minute frown.

 

"I have something to show you. And the others."

 

Hermione led them down corridor after corridor, somehow knowing her way around the underground base Ron had brought them to.

 

"Here," She said, pushing open a door and leading them inside.

 

Inside the room which slightly resembled an operating theatre, Kingsley Shaklebolt laid in the middle of the bed, a cup of tea in his hand. He was bruised, and half of him was bandaged, but he was _breathing_.

 

Out of the four of them, Pansy seemed to recover from the shock first.

 

"They cut you open, your heart stopped." She pointed out, voice tinged with anger, and a little bit of sadness.

 

Kingsley shrugged, and then grimaced. "Tetrodotoxin B. Remus Lupin developed it before the war, for stress. It didn't work so well for him, but we found a use for it. Slows the heartbeat to one beat a minute."

 

"Why keep it a secret from us? Why not tell us?" Harry snapped.

 

Hermione stepped in. "The attempt on the Minister's life had to look successful."

 

Kingsley chuckled quietly. "Can't kill you if you're already dead." He looked between Harry and Pansy, glancing at Ron and Hermione. "Besides, I wasn't sure who to trust."

 

Pansy's face contorted into a glare, but she doesn't say anything. Harry stares at him.

 

"How much did you know? How much did you neglect to tell us?" He said angrily, almost growling at the Minister. Normally he would never speak to Shaklebolt in such a way, but the day was wearing on him.

 

"I knew something was growing inside the Ministry, the theft of the Elder Wand confirmed it. I had no idea you would be so close to it."

 

Harry laughed dryly. "Oh, you didn't? Then why come to my house?"

 

"I knew I would be able to trust you with the key. I suspected that whatever was growing in the Ministry was of Death Eater origin. You would the last person to join them."

 

"Did you know about The Winter Wizard?" Pansy asked.

 

"After he tried to kill me the first time. I didn't know that The Winter Wizard was working with them."

 

"He's not." Harry interrupted. "He isn't working with them, at least not with his own consent."

 

"What?" asked Hermione. Harry sucked in a breath.

 

"Draco Malfoy is the Winter Wizard." He said quickly, wanting the revealation over and done with.

 

Kingsley was stunned for a second, and so was Hermione.

 

"Harry, are you sure it was him?" She said softly.

 

"I'm certain. He looked right at me, and he didn't recognise me. I said his name and - I don't think he knew who I was talking to." His voice cracked, and he took another deep breath. He refused to let himself cry. He had cried enough tears for Draco already - it was time to save, not grieve.

 

Pansy cleared her throat. "But what are we going to do? It has something to do with the helicarriers, I'm sure."

 

"Yes. The helicarriers were part of a private project, meant to keep both the wizarding world and the muggle world safer. Clearly, it didn't work out that way." Hermione said pointedly. "There are three helicarriers, each armed with enough weaponry to kill thousands of people in a second. As Dawlish has control over them, he can basically murder anyone he wants."

 

"But who does he want dead?" Ginny queried.

 

"Anyone who is a threat. Muggle or Wizard." said Ron.

 

"When the helicarriers are launched they'll triangulate in the air, but even if one of those ships is still in the air a lot of people will die." Hermione held up a square coding device. The helicarriers are each filled with these, to help them find the targets. These three will scramble the coordinates and make the helicarriers turn on themselves."

 

"What about the muggles?" asked Blaise.

 

"We'll have to pin it on the muggle government somehow. Most people who know about the helicarriers think they belong to the muggle government, so it probably won't be too difficult."

 

"So, all we have to do is go up on the helicarriers and insert the coding device into the data banks?" Pansy asked.

 

"Yes, and we might be able to salvage-" -

 

"No, we're not salvaging anything!" Harry interrupted Kingsley. "The Aurors, Death Eaters, Vipera - it all goes. You said it yourself, they're the same thing now."

 

Kingsley sighed. "Listen, I didn't know about Malfoy."

 

"If you had would you have told me?" Harry almost growled. "Or would you have not trusted me with that either?"

 

Kingsley sat back in the bed, looking defeated. "Looks like you're giving the orders now."

 

Harry shrugged. "Always thought I'd be Head Auror one day. Only fitting."

 

* * *

 

 

_"I think I'm going to die, Potter." Malfoy admitted, staring up at the sky. They were on the Astronomy Tower, and it was gone midnight._

 

_"You won't. I'll make sure of it." Harry said determindly. He had no idea where the protectiveness for Malfoy had come from - but he was accepting that it was there to stay. Though his attraction to the blonde growing daily._

 

_Malfoy laughed cynically. "That's a nice thought."_

 

_"It's a true one." Harry insisted. "You won't die. You've been a constant in my life since I was eleven, and I'm not letting you piss off that easily."_

 

Harry stood outside in the cool afternoon air, collecting himself. In just a few hours the Ministry would fall, again. It would have to be reformed all over again.

 

Vipera was, basically, foreign Death Eaters. Except, they didn't just want control over the wizarding world. They wanted complete control of the muggle world too.

 

Harry didn't know what motivation Ernie Macmillan or Dawlish had. All he knew was that they were both terriorists, reaking havoc on everything he had tried so hard to save ten years ago.

 

A cough from beside him brought him from his thoughts, and he turned to face Ron.

 

"He's going to be there, you know." Ron said. Harry didn't have to ask who he was talking about.

 

"I know,"

 

"Listen, I don't know what you two had but. . . it's gone now. He isn't the same person he used to be."

 

"I know," Harry repeated. Ron sighed.

 

"I don't think he's the kind of person you save, I think he's the kind you stop."

 

"I can't do that, Ron." Harry said, staring at the skyline in the distance. "He's in there, somewhere. Whatever they've done to him, it can be reversed."

 

"Are you saying that because you know, or because you want it to be like that?" Ron asked gently.

 

Harry didn't answer.

 

* * *

 

 

"The Helicarriers are being launched from the Ministry, and they'll triangulate above the muggle Parliament, and the Thames. They're about to be launched, go!" Hermione spoke through Harry's earpiece. He mounted his broom, Ron, Blaise and Ginny doing the same.

 

They flew over London, using cloaking charms to keep themselves hidden from muggles. The Helicarriers were invisible to muggles, as to make them as unsuspicious as possible. However as soon as their targets were scrambled they would be visible to anyone.

 

The quartlet dived down, apparating themselves in mid flight, landing in the Special Mission Auror headquarters. They eached raised their wands as Ministry workers turned to them in shock.

 

"Excuse us," Harry muttered, pushing past someone who he vaguely recognised as Terry Boot.

 

There was a control panel, with switch boards and screens. There was also a microphone. Harry pressed the button, and began to speak.

 

"Attention all Ministry personal, this is Harry James Potter, otherwise known as the Boy Who Lived. The past few days have been eventful, to say the least, and some of you were even ordered to hunt me down. I was made a fugitive. Listen to me now, and listen clear. The Ministry isn't what we thought it was. Voldemort's followers have been growing inside the Ministry since the war. They are known as Vipera, and are no better than Death Eaters. Head Auror John Dawlish is their leader. Ernie Macmillan, and most likely the majority of the Aurors, are also part of it. And I don't know how many more. They could be sitting right next to you.

 

We thought war against these people, and ten years ago we believed it to be over. We were wrong. But today, this is the final stand. This is our final fight to freedom. I don't know about any of you, but I know the only way I'll stop fighting is if I'm dead." Harry finished.

 

"Did you write that down first, or was it off the top of your head?" Ron grinned.

 

* * *

 

 

Minerva McGonagall, Igor Karkaroff, and Madam Maxine had been invited to the British Ministry of Magic, by Head Auror John Dawlish, for reasons unknown. They had each been in his office when Harry Potter's voice came blaring through the speakers, causing them to slowly turn to Dawlish, who had a look of fury spreading steadily across his features.

 

Madam Maxine levelled her wand at him, McGonagall doing the same, as Karkaroff looked at him in disgust, having denounced the Dark Lord a long time ago.

 

The door burst open and Ernie Macmillan, Adrian Pucey, Graham Pritchard and Malcolm Wares entered, wands trained on the trio of Head teachers.

 

"What are you doing? Arrest him!" Karkaroff ordered. McGonagall stayed silent, knowing these men would do no such thing. It would be better to bide her time.

 

The look of fury melted off of Dawlish's face as he fixed them with a smile.

 

"Looks like I've got the floor."

 

* * *

 

 

"No!" Hermione yelled through Harry's earpiece. He was on his broomstick, racing towards the two helicarriers that were coming out from the Thames. So, he hadn't been listened to.

 

"I was wrong. Two of the helicarriers are above London, but one of them is above Hogwarts! Harry, you need to get there!" She urged.

 

"On my way!" Harry said, apparating in mid-air with a crack. Blaise, Ginny and Ron would be able to deal with the other two. He prayed that they would be alright.

 

He almost toppled off of his broomstick when he landed, instantly seeing the helicarrier rising above Hogwarts. It didn't look as big as the other two had, but Harry knew it could still cause tremendous damage.

 

He flew towards the helicarrier, already seeing other wizards on it. This wasn't going to be easy. But when was anything ever easy for him?

 

The place where he needed to be was on the underside of the helicarrier, and he had decided to head there straight away when a bolt of green whizzed past his ear. He pulled up instantly, almost slipping off. He gripped it tightly as he twisted and turned, dodging spell after spell. Clearly they had seen him coming.

 

The others would likely have some air support, but it looked like he was on his own.

 

"Stupefy!" He wildly waved his wand behind him, somehow managing to hit someone, who fell and slammed into someone else, who fell off his own broom. Harry didn't stop to look if they had survived the fall.

 

One of the more experienced wizards tackled him in mid air, and they had a frantic battle to both remain on their brooms. They scuffled, trading punching and kicks, until Harry got the upper hand and forcibly pushed him from his broom.

 

There were two others still trailing him. He cast the Accio charm and their broomsticks flew towards him. Without their riders.

 

Satisfied that he wasn't being followed anymore he started flying to the underside of the helicarrier.

 

"Oh shit!" Ron yelled through his earpiece.

 

"What's going on?" He yelled back. Harry reached the inside of the helicarrier, throwing his broomstick to the floor.

 

"Zabini's down!" But Harry didn't have time to respond, because he found himself staring into the face of the unmasked Winter Wizard.

 

* * *

 

 

"You're vile." McGonagall said, staring down her nose at Dawlish.

 

"You might want to speak nicer to the person who has the upper hand." Dawlish sneered.

 

"Why have you done this?"

 

Dawlish sighed and started pacing around the room.

 

"The world is a tough place, and it needs someone to control it. After the war, I realised that Lord Voldemort wasn't wrong about wanting to control the wizarding world. His problem was that he needed control over the muggle world, too. The world needs control to be safe, and today we're making it safe."

 

"Taking away freedom doesn't make the world a safe place. If anything it makes it more dangerous." McGonagall countered.

 

Dawlish raised his wand at her chest. "Too bad you won't-"

 

He was cut off as McGonagall suddenly leapt forwards and kneed him in the crotch, grabbing his wand from him, turning him around with his own wand pressing against his throat.

 

"Sorry, but did I step on your moment?" She said, watching Dawlish's expression change from shock to horror as Minerva McGonagall's face melted to reveal Pansy Parkinson.

 

* * *

 

 

"Please don't make me do this," Harry begged, though he knew it was in vain. Draco stared down at him, his eyes blank of anything slightly resembling the person he once was.

 

"I don't want to fight you," He tried. "but people will die. And I can't just let that happen, Draco."

 

Something about hearing his real name spoken out loud snapped something in him. He lunged forwards, a knife in his hand. Harry saw it coming and twisted out of his way. He slammed the shield down on Draco's metal arm, making the blond lurch before he righted himself and swiftly punched Harry in the face.

 

Harry stumbled backwards, and when Draco threw his metal fist towards him Harry ducked and raised the shield, letting the metal collide with steel. Draco seemed to lose his patience, barreling into Harry with such ferocity it sent them both tumbling to the lower levels of the helicarrier.

 

Once on the floor Harry got the upper hand, bringing his shield down hard on Draco's face. He heard a crack, but Draco hardly seemed to notice. For a second he was dazed, and Harry took the oppurtunity to grab his broomstick. He mounted it, and started to speed upwards when a hand grabbed his robes and yanked him off. He yelped and was quickly silenced by Draco's hand over his mouth - and nose.

 

He flailed, fists weakly trying to peel his hands off, before he scratched at Draco's eyes, making him loosen his grip and therefore giving Harry the chance he needed to wriggle out of his arms. Draco grabbed his robes and reached into the pocket to grab the coding device. Harry quickly flipped them around, so Draco was in his arms. He wrapped one arm around his neck and squeezed.

 

"Drop it!" He demanded as Draco started to wheeze. His flesh arm flailed widely, so Harry pinned it with his foot and twisted. Draco screamed as the limb popped from its socket, dropping the coding device instantly. Harry grabbed it and grabbed the broom, speeding to the top of the room at a furious pace. He jumped onto the platform that held the data banks, pulled out one of the codes and inserted his own.

 

_"Septumseptra!"_

 

* * *

 

 

"What are you going to do?" Dawlish snarled as she reached into his pocket. Pansy smirked. She looked at the bodies of the Aurors she had quickly Stupified.

 

"Something to let the world know what a diabolical bastard you really are." She push him forwards, yelling a binding spell and summoning one of the chairs from around the room. She pushed him into it, and when she was satisfied he was bound tightly enough, she turned away. She went to the podium he had been standing at and put the key into one of the holes.

 

"You need to Alpha level keys to access anything of importance," Dawlish taunted. If anything, she smirked wider. She dug around in her pocket and held up Shaklebolt's key.

 

"Don't worry, I'm fully aware of what I have to do."

 

"And you need both their wands,"

 

"Well it's a good job that the cavalry is coming, isn't it?"

 

There was a crack, then Kingsley Shaklebolt himself appeared in front of him, donning his Auror robes. He was still bandaged, but the look on Dawlish's face told her that he really had expected him to be dead.

 

"Minister," She smiled, "be so kind as to help me with our master plan?"

 

"Certainly," He turned to Dawlish, "and I'll deal with you later." He said omninessly.

 

Pansy waved Dawlish's wand and Shaklebolt waved his own, and every record in the Ministry floating by them at an astonishingly fast pace. Dawlish was frowning, whereas Maxine and Karkaroff just looked incredibly confused.

 

"'Vat do you plan doing?" Madam Maxine asked with a heavy accent.

 

"Dumping every file Vipera has and putting it out on the common records, the ones that the public have access to. Nothing Vipera has done in the past years will remain a secret."

 

"You do realise that what you did is also recorded? None of your past will remain a secret. Are you really ready for the world to see you as you really are?"

 

Pansy looked up and met his eyes, not a single trace of fear in them.

 

"Are you?" She asked. Shaklebolt continued to dump the private files in the public file's places when Pansy put her hand to her ear.

 

"The rest of you, how is it going up there?"

 

"Blaise is down, but me and Ron are onto the last helicarrier. There's one over Hogwarts, but Harry went to take care of that." Ginny shouted.

 

"Hogwarts?" Pansy said, alarmed. "Is there any sign of him?" She didn't have to specify for Ginny to know who she was talking about.

 

"Not yet, I don't think he's here."

 

"Right. Tell me when you're done. Granger, what's happening?"

 

"I was wrong! They won't triangulate. When the scramblers are put in place the two over London will destroy each other, but by the looks of it, the one over Hogwarts will simply collapse in on itself."

 

"Any word on Potter?"

 

"No, but his earpiece is still working. He just won't answer."

 

"I don't like the sound of that."

 

* * *

 

 

Harry cried out as he felt cuts open up over his chest. He fell to one knee, oblivious to the helicarrier collapsing around him. The helicarrier jolted and he slid from the platform, falling to the floor with a thud. He muttered the only blood-staunching charm he remembered and hoped it was enough to keep him alive. He pulled himself to a stand, silently watching Draco across the side of the glass floor. The lake shimmered beneath them.

 

"I'm not going to fight you anymore." He dropped his shield, and it disappearing through a broken part of the glass.

 

As predicted, Draco ran at him and tackled him to the floor.

 

"You're my mission!" He shrieked, keeping Harry in place with his flesh arm whilst he pounded his face with his metal one. Harry had no idea how he had such control over his dislocated arm.

 

"You. . . Are. . . My. . . _Mission_!" He articulated each word with a hard punch to Harry's face.

 

"Then finish it." He choked out. Draco paused, his fist raised above him, a horrified look of confused understanding etched across his pale features.

 

"'Cause I'm with you, till the very end." He whispered.

 

For a second Draco's eyes widened, and then the floor collapsed under Harry and he found himself falling.

 

* * *

 

 

"It's done! We're on our way back now!" Ginny yelled.

 

"The files are on public record, nothing is a secret anymore." Pansy confirmed.

 

"This was one hell of a weekend." Blaise muttered.

 

Dawlish was shaking his head. "What a waste. Years of hard work. . . the ritual. . ."

 

"Hard work built on murdering people you thought to be lesser than you?" Kingsley said.

 

"Certainly. For the safety of the world."

 

"Your type of safety only creates chaos. Shaklebolt, what do we do with him?" Shaklebolt drew his wand, pointing it squarely at Dawlish.

 

"You used to be my friend, but not anymore. I may as well speed up the inevitable." Shaklebolt's fingers tightened on his wand, and a bolt of green quickly ended John Dawlish's life.

 

No one in the room could say they felt any sympathy for the dead man.

 

* * *

 

 

He didn't know why he had done it. One minute the man was saying such strange things to him, and the next he was falling. The Winter Wizard had no idea what made him follow, but he found himself doing so anyway.

 

He hit the water and reached his metal arm forwards, grabbing the man by his robes and pulled him above the surface. He dragged him to the edge of the lake and settled him by the shore, turning to watch the rest of the helicarrier fall into the lake behind him. He had an odd feeling in his stomach.

 

He stared at the man's scarred face. He felt like he knew him, but when he tried to remember anything his mind came up blank.

 

He needed to-

 

to-

 

Vipera. He needed to find them. He failed, but for some reason he didn't want to succeed at this mission.

 

He turned away from the man and walked into the forest, not entirely sure where to even start.

 

* * *

 

 

_Epilogue;_

 

They all knew what he was going to do as soon as St Mungos discharged him. He had been searching for ten years, and was hardly going to give up now that he had finally, _finally_ found Draco Malfoy.

 

The others had offered to help, but he knew they had other commitments. Ron and Hermione had Rose to look after, Blaise and Ginny were helping repair and rebuild the Ministry, and Pansy was - well, doing something secret that was most likely extremely important.

 

He didn't know how long it would take, or where his journey would lead him to, but he knew for certain that it was time to bring Draco Malfoy home from the war.

**Author's Note:**

> Rose Granger-Weasley is around two years old in this fic, whilst Hugo has not been born yet.
> 
> Bat's represent rebirth.


End file.
